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The Dingmaul (Saxicatellus vociferens), Ding Maul, Ding Ball or Plunkus was a fearsome critter told in tales from the Lumberjacks.

Description[]

The Dingmaul is a large cat-like animal with wolf-like skin and a sad expression on their face. They have long bodies with short powerful legs. They have tufted ears and glowing eyes. They have a long tail that is half of their body length with a spiky ball at the end. They use the tail to scare flies away and produce splinters to fill their nests or burrows. The male hits himself in the breast with his tail to attract a mate. The female also has a ball in a darker shade to the males. There are two species of Dingmauls: the Northwest and the Californian. Both of which are said to be not harmful.

The Dingmaul is said to enjoy lying out in warm sunny spots and watching the valley below. They are famous in the White Mountains; above the timberline extending in the hill that is between the Mt. Adams and the Mt. Jefferson of Presidential Range is a flat-topped boulder nicknamed "Dingmaul Rock". The Dingmaul is similar to the Silver Cat, another fearsome critter.

Further reading[]

"The Dingmaul" from Fearsome Critters (1939) by Henry H. Tryon

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